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<blockquote type=cite cite><br>
> i don't think the vid capture machine needs this much memory....nor
does<br>
> the Gentner control machine.<br>
<br>
*** Right, maybe the single processor systems could be 128 MB then?
I was <br>
*** looking for some uniformity and backup options.</blockquote><br>
Well, remember a couple things. The control machine isn't always going to
be win98. As soon as we get linux gentner software written, it's going to
turn into a linux box and be a more general purpose control machine (log
into it, audio/video/display machines get logged in, projectors wake up,
software starts, etc). <br>
<br>
As we evolve the video capture solutions, we may be requiring more memory
on there too (video transcoding, MPEG/MJPEG capture, etc etc).<br>
<br>
Memory is cheap. Given the cost of a fully-equipped node, I don't see any
reason to skimp on it.<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> 8-9 GB hard disks, with basic<br>
> > systems being similar.<br>
> <br>
> or...dual 9GB hard disks if you want to use Norton Ghost or equiv.
to<br>
> make a backup copy of your disk just prior to showtime...as
suggested<br>
> by Russ of BU. that way, if disk failure, just crack the case
and<br>
> swap drives.<br>
<br>
*** Does Ghost work on all three operating
systems?</blockquote><br>
I believe it does. I'm going to be getting Ghost real soon now for some
backing up of systems to (hopefully) cdrom for shipping of the PortaAG to
Japan for the INET conference.<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> <br>
> We will use an 8x2 KVM console switch to control the
PCs<br>
> > so only two monitors, keyboards, and mice are needed.<br>
> <br>
> i don't think the console switch is a good idea....i think Russ
said<br>
> the same....i think you don't have time to switch screens
during<br>
> emergent situations.<br>
> <br>
*** Hmm - it is a trade off of real estate for monitors vs.
access<br>
*** and flexibility. I wonder if criteria might differ for a
more<br>
*** intense set-up like a Chautauqua site vs. a conference room?
</blockquote><br>
Chautauquas are very different from ordinary use. We don't have enough
desk space in our rooms for four monitors. We've found that two work
quite well, and don't generally wish for three.<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> > Base/Common Configuration
(Differences noted below)<br>
> ><br>
> > 800 MHz Processor (price breaks may make other speeds
interesting)<br>
> > (note that the
display and video pcs must be 2-processor SMP)<br>
> <br>
> i wonder if the display machine needs to be dual CPU IF ddvic
gets<br>
> to working.<br>
<br>
*** Bob or others who have used ddvic? Is 800 MHz
overkill?</blockquote><br>
Never :-). Remember we're going to be pushing more bits and compression
thru as we get the tech going.... Dual CPU will come in useful as we
start using multiple vics to do display (multiple vics for splitting
traffic across multicast groups..)<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> but remember that the 820 based Dell
Optiplex 300s did NOT work with<br>
> more than 2 display cards.<br>
> <br>
<br>
*** We only have 2 cards specified at most. Or do you mean
display heads?</blockquote><br>
Hm, good data point to have verification on. Can anyone remember what the
funky problems someone had last year with Compaq or Dell gear that
required them to boot Linux from a floppy?<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> you want to drive 6 projectors? i
THINK you can saturate a PCI<br>
> bus with 2 PCI video cards driving full out....so running 4
seems<br>
> iffy....so why not run 2 single head G200s?<br>
> <br>
<br>
*** Good point. Bob had suggested using an AGP card and a PCI
card. <br>
*** I'm not sure we'd ever need more than 4 displays (3 projectors)
for<br>
*** the current system so maybe a dual-head G400 AGP and another
dual-head<br>
*** card would suffice. Is there extra overhead for unused
display outputs.<br>
*** Is the G400 AGP only? Do we want the 360 MHz RAMDAC 32MB
card listed<br>
*** as Millennium G400 MAX (G4+MMDHA32GR)? <br>
*** Should we get only a two-head PCI card (and if so the G200 or
something<br>
*** else that is known to work with W2K?</blockquote><br>
G400+ G200 dual is okay. There are some limitations with OpenGL
performance and maybe other things if the second head on a G400 is
activated however. Shouldn't be any extra overhead for deactivated
displays. Price difference between g200 dual and quad again isn't too
high in the overall scheme of things, so I'd rather have more
capabilities than be missing some down the line. <br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> note that "with S-VIdeo" means
there is no RCA plug on the card...i<br>
> thought it meant "both RCA and S-Video" connectors on the
card.<br>
><br>
<br>
*** Hmmm - not sure about plugs but the WinTV-radio (401) that Bob
mentioned <br>
*** is supposed to have BOTH composite video and S-video
input. Are you<br>
*** saying we need a conversion cable if we want to hook up a
camera with<br>
*** composite video using an RCA phono type plug? Or that it
won't work<br>
*** at all? I remember some discussion on the list
about it but thought<br>
*** specifying the model number should help.</blockquote><br>
The cards that don't have an RCA plug come with a little adapter widget
that feeds the composite into the Y pins on the S-video input. I don't
like them, personally, because they don't seat as reliably as the RCA.
What I'd really like is there to be BNCs on there instead..<br>
<br>
> > 5. Miscellaneous<br>
<blockquote type=cite cite>> > 2 Monitors (compare price 17"
CRT and 15" LCD - capable of at least 1024/768)<br>
> <br>
> i'd say you want at least a 19" monitor on the
DRM....and maybe<br>
> vrm as well....and maybe even arm....especially if you expect
to<br>
> run tkMOO on these systems for operators. i don't see much
reason to<br>
> skimp on these things...your operators may need all the help they
can<br>
> get :-)<br>
> <br>
<br>
*** Good point. But won't the display machine be limited to
1024x768 anyway <br>
*** and isn't that where all the action is (well, the auto-started
mud)?<br>
*** What screen configs are folks using? Again, this could be
a "real estate"<br>
*** vs. intended use sort of thing.</blockquote><br>
With Win2k you can have a higher resolution on the monitor display than
on the projected displays. I use smaller monitors to keep the footprint
down. There's lots of real estate up on the screen when I want it :-).
The 3-screen display is nice for editing -- can show four pages of a
document at once in word.<br>
<br>
Thanks for the comments -- this is a good discussion.<br>
<br>
--bob</html>